The present invention relates to apparatuses for supplying perfusate to electric bipolar tweezers used for hemostasis or incision, which are performed mainly in neurosurgeries, and surgical procedures with these tweezers.
Generally, electric bipolar tweezers are used in neurosurgeries. A typical pair of electric bipolar tweezers include a pair of elongated portions, which extend from a base of the tweezers in a forked manner. An electrode is secured to a distal end of each elongated portion. The electrodes thus oppose each other. A high-frequency wave generating device is connected to the base of the tweezers through a cable. The device supplies high-frequency current to the electrodes. The tweezers are coated with insulating material except for the electrodes. When a lesion of tissue or blood vessel is held between the distal ends of the elongated portions, high-frequency current is supplied to the electrodes. This coagulates blood in the legion due to an effect in accordance with so-called Joule""s law, thus accomplishing hemostasis. The legion is cut through electric discharge when necessary.
During the procedure, the legion is heated by the high-frequency current and affects healthy tissue around the legion. To avoid this, a perfusion tube for cooling the legion extends along an inner side of one elongated portion. The tube is connected to a perfusate container, which contains saline, and has an outlet that opens near the electrode of the associated elongated portion. Saline is supplied to the legion from the outlet of the perfusate tube when performing hemostasis or incision on the legion with the tweezers. This cools the legion and healthy tissue around the legion.
When the tweezers hold the legion, the electrodes are located relatively close to each other. In this state, saline may be retained between the electrodes, thus short-circuiting the electrodes. This may hamper hemostasis or incision performed with the tweezers.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a perfusate supply apparatus and a surgical procedure that prevent perfusate from being retained between a pair of electrodes of electric bipolar tweezers.
To achieve the foregoing and other objectives and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, the invention provides a perfusate supply apparatus for electric bipolar tweezers. The tweezers include a pair of elongated portions that extend from a base of the tweezers in a forked manner, and an electrode is located on a distal end of each elongated portion. The apparatus comprises a perfusate tube, wherein a perfusate flows in the perfusate tube, and the perfusate tube is attached to the tweezers and has an outlet that opens near one electrode, a perfusate pump, which sends the perfusate to the perfusate tube, and a gas line, wherein a gas flows in the gas line, and the gas line is connected to an intermediate portion of the perfusate tube for mixing the gas with the perfusate such that a perfusate mist is blown from the outlet of the perfusate tube.
The present invention also provides a perfusate supply apparatus for electric bipolar tweezers. The tweezers include a pair of elongated portions that extend from a base of the tweezers in a forked manner, and an electrode is located on a distal end of each elongated portion. The apparatus comprises a perfusate tube, wherein a perfusate flows in the perfusate tube, and the perfusate tube is attached to the tweezers and has a perfusate outlet that opens near one electrode, a perfusate pump, which sends the perfusate to the perfusate tube to be discharged from the perfusate outlet, and a gas line, wherein a gas flows in the gas line, the gas line is attached to the tweezers and has a gas outlet that opens toward the electrodes, and the gas discharged from the gas outlet blows away the perfusate between the electrodes.
The present invention further provides a surgical procedure with electric bipolar tweezers. The tweezers include a pair of elongated portions that extend from a base of the tweezers in a forked manner, and an electrode is located on a distal end of each elongated portion. The procedure comprises a step of supplying a high-frequency current to the electrodes while a legion is held between the distal ends of the elongated portions for performing hemostasis or incision on the legion, and a step of blowing a perfusate mist toward the electrodes from an outlet of a perfusate tube attached to the tweezers for cooling the legion and the vicinity of the legion, wherein the perfusate mist blows away the perfusate between the electrodes.
The present invention further provides a surgical procedure with electric bipolar tweezers. The tweezers include a pair of elongated portions that extend from a base of the tweezers in a forked manner, and an electrode is located on a distal end of each elongated portion. The procedure comprises a step of supplying a high-frequency current to the electrodes while a legion is held between the distal ends of the elongated portions for performing hemostasis or incision on the legion, a step of discharging a perfusate toward the electrodes from an outlet of a perfusate tube attached to the tweezers for cooling the legion and the vicinity of the legion, and a step of blowing a gas toward the electrodes from a gas outlet of a gas line attached to the tweezers for blowing away the perfusate between the electrodes.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.